Why Is the Great Gatsby Considered a Gift?

Dear seniors, current juniors and future juniors,

In junior year, you will be given the opportunity to read a book called the The Great Gatsby. This piece of art is more of a gift than a novel. Rather than a romantic, love story, it will give you guys an idea what the “outside world” is like. Before you guys enter the society, this book will give you an idea how society is separated into classes and you are born who you are; it will be very difficult to get out of your social class. When you try to change your class, result will usually be a catastrophe. This gift prepares you guys for your next step of your life.

In chapter one, Nick first expresses this thought of social class through his dialogue with his father, “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Chapter 1). Being born into a upper class family, Nick doesn’t understand the challenges the lower classes are facing. It is hard for some of the upper class to realize the unfortunate and the obstacles the lower classes have to go through.

Later in the chapter, Nick explains his reasoning for living in a small house, “my house was at the very tip of the egg, only fifty yards from the Sound, and squeezed between two huge places that rented for twelve or fifteen thousand a season. The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard … My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore, and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor's lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires—all for eighty dollars a month” (Chapter 1). In this scenario, Nick chose to live in a small house but he gets to live next to millionaires. Although he wasn’t being serious when saying this but this teaches us a lesson as well. It is the same logic as some of us buying famous brands. For example, brands like Chanel might have accessories that are really expensive. Hence, people might buy things like rings, perfume, and other less expensive things. They want it not because it looks so much better than other brands but it’s because it’s under the brand “Chanel”. This action, in fact, is just proof of lack of self-confidence. When was the last time you see a millionair brag about their wealth? They don’t need to because so many other things can prove that they